The invention relates to compositions for providing aroma at the time of preparation of a coffee beverage, and to particulate soluble coffee product compositions containing such coffee beverage preparation aroma compositions.
The production of soluble, or instant, coffee powder involves processing conditions such as elevated temperature, which causes loss of desirable coffee aroma. Unless additional steps are taken in its manufacture, there is very little aroma associated with hot coffee beverages prepared from instant coffee powder relative to the aroma of hot coffee beverages prepared by brewing roast and ground coffee. Many attempts have been made to enhance the aroma of instant coffee products, including the use of particular types of coffee beans, the use of particular coffee roasting conditions, and the addition of coffee aroma. The present invention relates to the addition of coffee aroma to instant coffee and, in particular, to such addition which results in a burst of preparation aroma.
It is known to prepare natural and artificial coffee aromas and flavors for addition to instant coffee. Such aromas and flavors are usually complex, comprising many organoleptically active compounds, which combine in effect to create the characterizing aroma of the product. Since aromas and flavors are extremely powerful and typically unstable in their undiluted state they are combined with a carrier to render them stable and easier to handle. The carriers are neutral or complementary in organoleptic impact and do not contribute to the characterizing aroma of the product.
Carriers can be water-soluble solids or liquid. In cases where a liquid carrier is used, it is often encapsulated in a solid, water-soluble matrix to further preserve the characterizing aromas from loss or damage. The carrier, often referred to as a solvent in liquid systems, functions as an aroma base and is used to adjust the level of otherwise powerful aroma and taste substances to levels similar to those that exist in nature. Desirable characteristics of carriers for liquid systems include blandness and miscibility with other liquid carriers and with liquid aromas. Traditional liquid carriers include ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable oil, benzyl alcohol, triacetin, tripropionin, triethyl citrate, and tributyrin.
The aroma constituent of an aromatizing composition characterizes its aroma, i.e., the innate quality that gives the aroma its special attributes among and over other aromas. The aroma constituent may, and often does, include a plurality of aroma ingredients which together result in the characterizing aroma.
When a preparation aroma is desired upon rehydration of such flavors and aromas in a dehydrated food or beverage such compositions are limited in effectiveness because of poor aroma release. When a solid carrier is used, the release or aroma is poor because the diffusion of rehydrating liquid into the particle during rehydration inhibits the counter-diffusion of aroma out. In this way, the vast majority of the characterizing aroma constituents end up in the rehydrating liquid. An aroma burst can be obtained by increasing the loading of characterizing aroma constituents into the carrier but this typically leads to an overwhelmingly strong or unbalanced flavor in the product when consumed.
Likewise poor aroma release is obtained when traditional liquid carriers are used, whether or not they are encapsulated. Those which are water-soluble suffer the same problems as with soluble solid carriers. The flux of water into the carrier inhibits the diffusion of the aromas out. Furthermore, many carriers have a density greater than 1.0 g/cc so they sink in the product during hydration and aromas are released into the rehydration liquid rather than being released at the surface to effect preparation aroma. Finally, those conventional carriers which do float and are insoluble in water are of an oily or fattynature. Though these can be arranged to release aroma at the surface they leave an unsightly and often organoleptically and visually undesirable xe2x80x9cslickxe2x80x9d at the surface of the product.
A particular problem which has been noted in connection with instant coffee is the relative lack of coffee aroma that is generated at the time that a hot instant coffee beverage is prepared compared to the coffee aroma that is generated when brewing coffee. This problem of poor preparation aroma (i.e., poor aroma burst or xe2x80x9cabove-cup aromaxe2x80x9d at the time of preparation of an instant coffee beverage) is noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,368 assigned to Nestec S. A. and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,178 also assigned to Nestec S. A. Each of these patents describes several prior art attempts to provide an initial burst of above-cup coffee aroma, such as by coating soluble coffee powder with an aqueous emulsion of an aromatic coffee substance, or by employing particulate aromatized coffee glass. It is reported in each of these U.S. patents that these and other previously known procedures had not been successful in achieving good preparation aroma. The ""368 patent proposes a method of coextruding capsule particles in which a liquid core material containing aromatized coffee oil is encapsulated within a shell of hardened coffee glass. The shell encapsulates a core of aromatized coffee oil saturated with an inert gas under pressure. The ""178 patent also describes known techniques for aromatizing instant coffee and notes that techniques which may provide good package aroma (i.e., aroma in a coffee container) do not provide good preparation aroma. The ""178 patent reports that the method of the ""368 patent provides excellent entrapment of the aroma but that complex machinery and careful control are required. The ""178 patent proposes a modified method of preparing the aromatized coffee capsule particles which method is said to have the advantage of simplicity.
The amount of preparation aroma which can be achieved by incorporating aromatized coffee particles, such as those described in the ""368 and ""178 patents, in an instant coffee product, depends in part on the amount of such particles employed. Good preparation aroma can be achieved by employing a sufficient amount of the aromatized capsules. However, the more capsules that are employed, the more capsule material, particularly coffee oil, that is introduced. The added coffee oil accumulates as an oil film on the surface of the coffee beverage. Such oil films are readily apparent and are widely known to impair consumer acceptance of instant coffee.
A need arises to provide soluble coffee product compositions with good coffee preparation aroma without requiring the use of amounts of other ingredients, such as vegetable oils, that would adversely affect the properties of coffee beverages prepared from the aromatized coffee product compositions.
In one aspect, the invention provides a particulate coffee aroma composition comprising a coffee aroma constituent and a volatile organic carrier constituent, said volatile organic carrier constituent being in the liquid state at 25xc2x0 C. and atmospheric pressure, and having a vapor pressure of at least 0.01 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C., a boiling point in the range of 25 to 250xc2x0 C., a density of less than 1.0 g/cc at 25xc2x0 C., and water solubility of not more than about 10% by weight at 25xc2x0 C.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a particulate coffee beverage preparation aroma composition comprising particles having a solid water soluble matrix, said matrix having physically entrapped therein a coffee aroma composition, said coffee aroma composition comprising a coffee aroma constituent and a volatile organic carrier constituent, said volatile organic carrier constituent being in the liquid state at 25xc2x0 C. and atmospheric pressure, and having a vapor pressure of at least 0.01 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C., a boiling point in the range of 25 to 250xc2x0 C., a density of less than 1.0 g/cc at 25xc2x0 C., and water solubility of not more than about 10% by weight at 25xc2x0 C.
In a still further aspect, the invention provides a particulate soluble coffee product composition containing a particulate coffee beverage preparation aroma composition, said particulate coffee beverage preparation aroma composition comprising particles having a solid water soluble matrix, said matrix having physically entrapped therein a coffee aroma composition, said coffee aroma composition comprising a coffee aroma constituent and a volatile organic carrier constituent, said volatile organic carrier constituent being in the liquid state at 25xc2x0 C. and atmospheric pressure, and having a vapor pressure of at least 0.01 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C., a boiling point in the range of 25 to 250xc2x0 C., a density of less than 1.0 g/cc at 25xc2x0 C., and water solubility of not more than about 10% by weight at 25xc2x0 C.
The release of aroma during food of an instant coffee beverage affects the desirability and enjoyment of the beverage. The intensity of preparation aroma can significantly impact the consumer""s perception of coffee freshness and quality. Heightened coffee preparation aroma intensity can usually be achieved by simply increasing the amount of volatile aroma formulated into a soluble coffee product composition. However, the normal amount must typically be increased many fold to produce a noticeable effect on preparation aroma. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to a coffee beverage having overwhelmingly strong taste or aroma during consumption. The present invention provides a more intense preparation aroma while seeking to avoid deleterious effects on quality. In one embodiment, a coffee aroma composition may be used to provide the consumer with two distinct and desirable aroma experiences. Intense aroma, derived from the high release efficiency of the novel aroma system described herein, may be perceived during coffee beverage preparation, and normal-strength aroma and flavor, more typical of widely used low release efficiency conventional aroma systems, may be perceived during subsequent consumption.
The invention combines a volatile coffee aroma with a volatile, organic carrier to create a volatile coffee aroma composition which provides a good initial burst of coffee aroma at the time of preparation of a coffee beverage, while avoiding the problems noted above of residual surface oil and strong taste or aroma during consumption. The use of a novel volatile carrier, having the present combination of physical properties is key to the present invention and clearly distinguishes the present coffee aromatizing composition from flavoring agents, either natural or artificial, which utilize traditional carriers. Traditional carriers are either too water soluble, have density greater than 1 g/cc, or are not sufficiently volatile to provide the preparation aroma impact desired while avoiding oily surface residues and potentially adverse effects on flavor. The volatile aromatizing composition is biphasic with water and has a temporary existence at the temperature of coffee beverage preparation. This creates a beneficial non-equilibrium environment in which both the aroma and carrier evaporate from floating oil-like droplets that will disappear from the surface of a coffee beverage, particularly those prepared by combining an aqueous liquid such as water or milk with a particulate dehydrated soluble coffee product composition. The volatile aromatizing composition is physically entrapped, preferably by encapsulating, in solid, water soluble particles to reduce evaporation and oxidation during storage. The particulate aroma composition is readily incorporated into and packaged with particulate soluble coffee product compositions. The volatile aromatizing composition may also be utilized in other ways such as in coffee beverage vending machines in which coffee beverages are prepared from liquid coffee concentrates or from soluble coffee powder. In such vending machines, the present volatile preparation aroma composition is preferably held in and dispensed from a separate container which is sealed to minimize oxidation and evaporation of the composition. Such containers may hold a quantity of the composition suitable for a single serving or for a plurality of servings.
The use of the present volatile organic carriers may provide several advantages. Since the volatile organic carrier is at most sparingly water-soluble and has a density less than the density of water, it will float to the surface of coffee beverages, where it can release aroma directly into the air above the beverage product at the time that it is prepared. This effect is desirable since it will serve to minimize loss of coffee aroma by dissolution, and to maximize the intensity of coffee aroma perceived by the consumer. Also, since volatile carriers rapidly evaporate along with the aroma, they do not leave behind an undesirable oil slick on the surface of the coffee beverage as occurs in applications that utilize non-volatile carriers such as coffee oil or other triglyceride oil.
Volatile carriers typically also have much lower freezing point and viscosity than edible oils, typically vegetable oils, which allow them to be aromatized by direct contact with cold or frozen coffee aromas. An example is contact of the carrier with a coffee aroma frost. Aromatization at low temperature can be advantageous to reduce loss of very volatile aromas by evaporation and to reduce loss of labile aromas by thermal or oxidative degradation. Other solvents that have lower freezing points than edible oils, such as triacetin, benzyl alcohol, propylene glycol, or ethanol, typically have high water solubility and/or density greater than water, properties that will tend to reduce initial aroma burst. Another advantage is that the volatile organic carriers may be used as a solvent to extract coffee aroma directly from natural sources. They can then be easily distilled and condensed to facilitate concentration or fractionation of aromas.
The invention has particular utility in providing good above-cup aroma in the preparation of a hot aqueous coffee beverage, such as instant coffee, cappuccino and flavored instant coffee products from a powdered instant coffee beverage product composition without adversely affecting other properties of the beverage. Such beverages are generally prepared by combining the coffee product powder composition with hot water or milk at elevated temperature, typically at about 75-100xc2x0 C., usually at about 85-100xc2x0 C. For such particulate coffee product compositions, the aroma composition is physically entrapped in solid, water-soluble particles.
It is an essential feature of the invention that the coffee aroma composition includes a volatile organic carrier for the coffee aroma that is volatile at the temperature of food preparation. More than one such carrier may be employed. The carrier has a vapor pressure of at least 0.01 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C. and a boiling point in the range of from 25xc2x0 C. to 250xc2x0 C., and is in liquid state at 25xc2x0 C. and atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, the carrier can be vaporized at coffee beverage preparation temperatures. The carrier preferably has a vapor pressure of at least 0.5 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C., more preferably at least 2.0 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C., and most preferably at least 5.0 mm Hg at 25xc2x0 C. For hot coffee beverages, preferred carriers have a boiling point in the range of 25-200xc2x0 C., and more preferred carriers have a boiling point in the range of 25-100xc2x0 C. For cold coffee beverages prepared at room temperature or below, preferred carriers have a boiling point in the range of 25-50xc2x0 C.
Density of the carrier is sufficiently low to enable droplets of the aromatized carrier to float on the surface of coffee beverages in order to enhance the aroma burst. Carrier density values herein are at 25xc2x0 C. unless otherwise stated. Carrier density is suitably at least 0.6 and less than 1.0 g/cc, preferably from 0.7 to 0.99 g/cc, and more preferably from 0.8 to 0.95 g/cc.
Water solubility of the carrier is preferably sufficiently low to minimize loss of aroma burst due to dissolution of the carrier into an aqueous liquid utilized to prepare the coffee beverage. However, in many instances a good coffee aroma burst can be obtained when the carrier is partially water soluble. For example, a good aroma burst can often be achieved with such carriers when the aromatized particles float, particularly if the absolute density of the floating particles is not more than about 0.95 g/cc. In general, water solubility of the carrier is not greater than about 10% at 25xc2x0 C., and is preferably not greater than about 5% at 25xc2x0 C. Most preferably, the carrier is water insoluble.
Suitable volatile carriers include the following:
The volatile carriers suitable for this invention are preferably bland, but may have an inherent aroma. The amount of aroma generated by the carrier is generally small relative to the aroma generated by the coffee aroma constituent of the volatile aroma system of the invention. In some cases, the inherent aroma of the carrier will be essentially undetectable. In any event, inherent aroma of a volatile carrier may be reduced by conventional deodorizing techniques such as by adsorption, extraction, or distillation. However, it is possible to select a volatile carrier which has an inherent aroma which is appropriate for a coffee beverage prepared from the coffee beverage product composition in which the carrier is utilized. For example, furan and a variety of alkyl substituted furans such as 2-methylfuran, 2-ethylfuran, and 2,5-dimethylfuran occur naturally in coffee at extremely low levels in combination with a wide variety of other compounds, and, when obtained from coffee, have inherent coffee compatible aroma. These furans do not occur naturally in coffee in sufficient quantity to be used economically as volatile carriers, but they can be readily obtained from other sources. A carrier with a fruity aroma, such as non-deodorized d-limonene which has a mild citrus aroma, is a suitable carrier for aromas for dehydrated fruit-flavored coffee beverage products.
The amount of carrier in the aromatizing composition may vary widely. In general, the carrier is present in an amount of at least 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the carrier and the coffee aroma constituent. Ordinarily, the amount of carrier will exceed 35% by weight on the same basis and will often exceed that of the coffee aroma constituent such that it will be present in an amount of more than 50% by weight based on the total weight of the carrier and the coffee aroma constituent. Correspondingly, the amount of the coffee aroma constituent may also vary widely, suitably up to 65 or 75% by weight based on the total weight of the carrier and coffee aroma constituent and will often be present in an amount of less than 50% by weight on the same basis.
The essential coffee aroma constituent of the aroma composition may be any one or more natural or artificial coffee aromas. Preferred coffee aromas include natural coffee aroma gas, liquid or frost obtained from coffee processing. The aroma composition may also include other natural or artificial aroma compounds suitable for coffee beverages such as hazelnut, amaretto, chocolate, cream, vanilla, etc.
The aroma constituents can be incorporated into the coffee aroma composition in any convenient way such as by simple mixing with the carrier. The aroma constituent is usually in a liquid or solid state but may be gaseous. The aroma constituent preferably is or includes coffee aroma derived from coffee aroma frost obtained from coffee processing. It is a distinct advantage of the invention that because the volatile carriers generally have a low freezing point, the carrier can be aromatized without heating to an elevated temperature. This is advantageous because coffee aroma is generally adversely affected by higher temperatures. The ability to aromatize without raising temperature above ambient is particularly advantageous in connection with coffee products because it permits aromatization of a liquid carrier by simply introducing coffee aroma frost into the carrier at room temperature or at a lower temperature down to the melting point of the aroma frost.
The coffee aroma is preferably soluble in the carrier. Where the aroma is not completely soluble, one or more suspending agents, emulsifiers, or co-solvents may be included to form a homogenous mixture. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cmixturexe2x80x9d as applied to the coffee aroma composition, is intended to include compositions in which the coffee aroma constituent is dissolved, suspended, or emulsified.
The coffee aroma compositions of the present invention have particular utility in aromatizing soluble coffee product compositions. The expression xe2x80x9csoluble coffee product compositionsxe2x80x9d as used herein means liquid and particulate products containing soluble coffee and which are intended for preparation of a coffee flavored beverage by the addition of water or an aqueous liquid such as milk. However, aromatizing agents of the invention can be used to aromatize other coffee-flavored products, such as instant puddings and other desserts that would normally be reconstituted with hot water or milk or heated by the consumer prior to consumption.
The coffee aromatizing composition may also include a minor amount of one or more optional constituents such as a non-coffee aroma, a non-volatile edible fat or oil, a surfactant, a wetting agent, a foaming agent, an extremely volatile solvent, a propellant, dissolved edible solids, an antioxidant, or an aroma precursor. Although greater amounts may be used, the total amount of such additional constituents will not usually be more than about 100%, and preferably not more than about 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the carrier and coffee aroma constituent. Suitable non-volatile edible fats or oils include coffee oil or other predominantly triglyceride oil used as a source of flavor or as a flavor solvent. A surfactant acts as a spreading agent or emulsifier to control the droplet size of the aromatizing composition and its degree of spreading on the surface of a food product. Suitable highly volatile solvents such as acetone and acetaldehyde act as a co-solvent for the volatile food aroma and modify the rate of evaporation of the aroma delivery system. A dissolved or entrapped propellant gas such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and the like, or a gas generator such as chemical carbonation reagents, may be included to increase buoyancy or to accelerate aroma release and evaporation. Dissolved edible solids increase the viscosity of the aroma composition. Antioxidant additives such as BHA, BHT, TBHQ, vitamins A, C and E and derivatives, and various plant extracts such as those containing carotenoids, tocopherols or flavonoids having antioxidant properties, may be included to increase the shelf-life of the aromatized carrier. Aroma precursors that would not react during storage but would react to generate aroma during food preparation may also be included in the aromatizing composition.
The nature and amount of each optional ingredient that is included in the aromatizing composition is also dependent on the food product intended to be aromatized. For example, where a coffee oil or aromatized coffee oil is selected as an optional ingredient, the amount of such coffee oil is preferably less than an amount that would give rise to an undesirable film of oil on the surface of the instant coffee beverage.
To facilitate floating of particles of the aromatizing composition on the surface of an aqueous beverage, density of the composition is preferably suitably from 0.6 up to less than 1.0 g/cc and preferably from 0.7 to 0.99 g/cc, and more preferably from 0.8 to 0.95 g/cc.
Although substantially limited by the physical properties of the carrier, the aromatizing compositions of the present invention may be formulated in a variety of ways. For example, natural or artificial coffee flavoring agents, or mixtures thereof, may be used in combination with natural or synthetic carriers, or mixtures thereof, depending on the intended food or beverage product application and availability and cost of the ingredients. Some of the novel carriers disclosed can be obtained from natural, typically botanical sources, while others can only be obtained from synthetic, typically petroleum, sources. The same applies to the flavoring agents which are combined with the carriers.
The aromatizing composition may be bottled or otherwise packaged in a sealed container, such as a container suitable for a coffee beverage vending machine, but is preferably physically entrapped in solid particles to protect the volatile carrier and volatile aroma from evaporation and deterioration. The aromatizing composition is preferably physically entrapped in solid particles by encapsulation, but may be simply absorbed such as by combining with an absorbent powdered food ingredient such as maltodextrin, or otherwise physically entrapped. Encapsulation is preferred because of the enhanced protection against evaporation and oxidation inherent in encapsulation. Encapsulation or other physical entrapment may be accomplished by any conventional technique, including those discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,368 and 5,750,178 mentioned above, the disclosure of each of which is herein incorporated by reference. A useful encapsulation technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,033 and in Example 5 below. Other suitable encapsulation techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,496,574, and 3,989,852, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
In general, any method of physical entrapment can be used that is effective in converting the coffee aroma composition into particulate form. Preferred methods include co-extrusion, centrifugal co-extrusion, submerged nozzle co-extrusion, and the like which can be employed to produce a particulate containing a single continuous droplet of the coffee aroma composition, the size of which can be controlled to optimize evaporation characteristics. Less preferred methods include extrusion, spray drying, freeze-drying, absorption, adsorption, granulation, fluidized bed coating, inclusion complexation, and liposome entrapment. Any particulate produced by these methods that have undesirably small particle size or that contain finely emulsified and dispersed droplets may be advantageously agglomerated or granulated to increase the size and buoyancy of the particulate or to modify its dissolution rate in a coffee beverage.
The encapsulating material or the matrix material making up the solid particles into which the carrier is adsorbed, may be any water soluble food grade material. Preferred water soluble encapsulation and matrix materials include soluble coffee solids, soluble tea solids, sugars, hydrolyzed starch products such as maltodextrins and corn syrup solids, hydrocolloids, and hydrolyzed proteins, as well as mixtures of these materials.
The particle size of the particulate aroma composition can vary widely. For most dehydrated food and beverage compositions, the particle size is suitably 0.1-10 mm, preferably 0.5-5 mm, and more preferably 1-3 mm.
For coffee beverage products, density of the particulate aroma composition is preferably sufficiently low to enable the particles to float in order to enhance the aroma release. However, in many instances a good aroma burst may be obtained for coffee beverages when density of the aromatized particles is greater than that of water. For example, a good aroma burst can often be obtained with such particles when a hot liquid is poured into a particulate coffee beverage composition, or when the density of the particulate coffee aroma composition or of the carrier is sufficiently low to enable the particles or the carrier to rise very rapidly to the surface of the hot liquid. For coffee beverage products, absolute density of the aromatized particles, which determines if the particles will float in water, is preferably from about 0.2 to 0.99 g/cc, more preferably from 0.3 to 0.95 g/cc and still more preferably from 0.4 to 0.9 g/cc, and bulk density, which determines packing efficiency and is affected by particle size and shape, is preferably from 0.1 to 0.9 g/cc, more preferably from 0.2 to 0.8 g/cc, and more still preferably 0.3 to 0.7 g/cc. For non-beverage products, the absolute density of the aromatized particles may be higher than the density of water since the ability of the particles to float is not important. Similarly, their bulk density may be greater than 1.0 g/cc.
Bulk density of the particulate aroma composition is determined by pouring about 2-3 mL of the particles into a 10 mL graduated cylinder, vibrating until no further settling takes place, accurately noting both weight and volume and dividing the former by the latter to calculate bulk density to two decimal places. Absolute density is determined by adding very fine sand to the particles remaining in the cylinder after bulk density measurement and vibrating until all void spaces between the aromatized particles are filled with sand and no further settling takes place. The absolute density of the sand was first measured by filling a 10 mL cylinder with sand in the absence of aromatized particulates, vibrating until no further settling took place, accurately noting both weight and volume. The absolute density of the sand was calculated by dividing weight by volume to give a value of 1.66 g/cc. Knowledge of the absolute density of sand, individual weights of sand and particulates in the cylinder, and measurement of the volume and weight of the sand-particulate mixture allows calculation of the absolute density of the particles. Increased buoyancy can be obtained by gasifying the carrier, the solid matrix material, or both.
The amount of coffee aroma composition present in the particulate coffee beverage preparation aroma composition can vary considerably, but is generally maximized because it is generally the aroma constituent, and not the solid encapsulant or matrix that is desired to be incorporated into the food product. The aromatizing composition is preferably present in an amount of from about 1 to about 95% and more preferably from 10 to about 80% by weight based on the weight of the particulate aromatizing composition. However, where the solid encapsulant or matrix material is coffee-derivedxe2x80x94such as where the solid particle is soluble coffeexe2x80x94the amount of solid material can be much larger. This can be very advantageous, e.g., in facilitating processing such as encapsulation. For such coffee beverage products, the amount of coffee-derived solid material in the particulate aromatizing composition is suitably up to 95 or 99% by weight.
It is preferred, for simplicity, to utilize a single volatile carrier, but more than one may be employed in which case it is preferred that the selected carriers are miscible with one another. On the other hand, the coffee aroma constituent is often made up of a plurality of aroma compounds as illustrated in the examples below.
The amount of the particulate coffee beverage preparation aroma composition suitable for incorporation into a particulate soluble coffee beverage product composition can vary widely, depending on several factors including the nature of the coffee product composition, the nature and strength of the volatile coffee aroma, the nature and inherent aroma of the volatile carrier, and the nature and amount of the solid entrapping material and of any extraneous material. In general, the amount added is sufficient to provide good coffee preparation aroma. In some cases, the particulate soluble coffee product composition can be made up entirely of the particulate coffee aroma composition. For example, a furan carrier liquid, aromatized with a coffee frost, and encapsulated in soluble coffee capsules, can be formulated to constitute an instant coffee product. Accordingly, the particulate preparation aroma composition may constitute up to 100% by weight of the coffee product composition. However, for most applications, it is suitable if the particulate aroma composition is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 50%, and preferably 0.1-10% by weight, of the coffee product composition.
The particulate soluble coffee product compositions in which the particulate preparation aroma composition of the present invention can be utilized can vary widely. Examples include instant coffee, including freeze dried and spray dried, and flavored and/or sweetened coffee beverage compositions such as for preparing instant cappuccino. Such compositions may include sweeteners, flavors, creamers, gasifying agents, fillers, bulking agents, buffers, colorants, etc. The aromatized particles can simply be mixed with the coffee composition and it is preferred to match the density of the aromatized particles to that of the particulate coffee composition in order to minimize segregation.
Beverages are prepared from the particulate coffee product composition by rehydrating at an appropriate coffee beverage preparation temperature. Hot coffee beverages are generally prepared at temperature of about 75-100xc2x0 C. while cold coffee beverages are generally prepared at temperatures ranging from 0 to 25xc2x0 C. Iced coffee beverages are often prepared by pouring a hot beverage solution over ice, in which case the initial burst of aroma is generated when the initial hot beverage solution is prepared. Desserts such as instant puddings and desserts are normally prepared with boiling or near boiling water.